Fundamentals of Soil Ecology, 3rd Edition, offers a holistic approach to soil biology and ecosystem function, providing students and ecosystem researchers with a greater understanding of the central roles that soils play in ecosystem development and function. The text emphasizes the increasing importance of soils as the organizing center for all terrestrial ecosystems and provides an overview of theory and practice in soil ecology, both from an ecosystem and evolutionary biology point of view. This new edition is fully updated, including an expanded treatment of microbial ecology and new sections on advances in molecular techniques and climate change research. These updates make this edition an essential resource for researchers and students in soil ecology and microbiology.
Soil Nematodes of Grasslands in Northern China presents research on China’s temperate grasslands, providing the findings and results of a large field survey along a transect across the northern temperate grassland. It examines nematode distribution patterns along the transect from trophic group and family, to genus level, also evaluating their relationship with climatic conditions, plant biomass and soil parameters. The book then presents detailed taxonomy information of nematodes to genus or species level, providing keen insights into nematode diversity along the grassland transect in north China. Final sections review the advances and perspectives for the research of soil ecology on soil nematodes in China, including recent major discoveries of soil microbial diversity and eco-function during this field survey. This work will help researchers predict the impact of global change drivers on below ground soil biota and better understand the functioning and services they provide in terrestrial ecosystems.
The fourth edition of Soil Microbiology, Ecology and Biochemistry updates this widely used reference as the study and understanding of soil biota, their function, and the dynamics of soil organic matter has been revolutionized by molecular and instrumental techniques, and information technology. Knowledge of soil microbiology, ecology and biochemistry is central to our understanding of organisms and their processes and interactions with their environment. In a time of great global change and increased emphasis on biodiversity and food security, soil microbiology and ecology has become an increasingly important topic. Revised by a group of world-renowned authors in many institutions and disciplines, this work relates the breakthroughs in knowledge in this important field to its history as well as future applications. The new edition provides readable, practical, impactful information for its many applied and fundamental disciplines. Professionals turn to this text as a reference for fundamental knowledge in their field or to inform management practices.
Soil mites are of great biological importance both in natural and in cultivated soils. Recently much attention has been paid to them especially because of their sensitivity to a number of chemicals used in agriculture. Of the soil mites, the Oribatids represent the largest number of both individuals and species. Unfortunately, the study of Oribatids has been greatly hampered by the lack of modern reference works from which they can be identified, and it was this great lack that stimulated the authors to launch this new series of books.The first volume, after a short morphological treatment, gives the method of collection, preparation, and mode of study of prepared specimens. The work is designed to discuss critically all recognizable species and is amply complemented with differential diagnoses and entirely new figures from supercohorts down to species. The book also includes an index of taxa.
Soil Disinfestation considers the effectiveness and necessity of soil disinfestation, while exposing the dangers of various treatments and the ways to overcome them. The book serves as a collection of heterogeneous articles written by a number of research workers in the field of soil science and microbial ecology. The book is divided into five sections and comprised of 15 chapters that cover the general aspects of standard, physical, chemical, and biological soil disinfestation and the fate of pesticides in the soil. The book discusses the causes and consequences of soil contamination and detection methods. The factors that influence the efficacy of each treatment and the practical application of commonly used pesticides, such as fumigants and fungicides, are also explained in this reference. Some of the contributors also give a critical retrospect about the subjects with speculation about the trends in soil disinfestation. Microbiologists and research workers in soil science, as well as students and novices in microbiology, pedology, and microbial ecology, will find this book invaluable for their practice and learning.
Cycling of Mineral Nutrients in Agricultural Ecosystems contains the papers presented in the first international environmental symposium of the Royal Netherlands Land Development Society held at Amsterdam on 1976. The symposium is cosponsored by the International Association for Ecology and Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company. This compilation reflects the exchange of information and ideas by specialists and participants of the symposium. The book is comprised of nine chapters, which cover the following concepts of nutrient cycling in agricultural ecosystems: principles and control of nutrient cycling; description and classification of agro-ecosystems; nutrient cycling data from different countries; and general discussion on nutrient balances, changes in soil pools, manipulations, and future researches. This book also offers potential background and perspectives for further studies on nutrient cycling in agro-ecosystems, presenting a view on what directions future research should take. This volume will be an invaluable reference source for environmental science students and professionals. Research workers in agriculture and other environmental disciplines will also find this book useful.
Distributed in the East European countries, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, People's Republic of Mongolia, Republic of Cuba and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by Kultura, Budapest, HungaryThis volume presents the second part of brief characterizations and identification keys for oribatid mites inhabiting the Neotropical Region, as well as a check-list and bibliography of all described species from this area.This work is destined to become a basic handbook that will serve academic and applied science/taxonomists, field workers, ecologists, etc., for years to come. It will also aid the work of Latin American oribatologists. This volume is primarily intended for use by taxonomists in acarology, ecologists of neotropical soils and veterinary parasitologists.
The history of science discipline is contributing valuable knowledge of the culture of soil understanding, of the conditions in society that fostered the ideas, and of why they developed in certain ways. This book is about the progressive “footprints” made by scientists in the soil. It contains chapters chosen from important topics in the development of soil science, and tells the story of the people and the exciting ideas that contributed to our present understanding of soils. Initiated by discussions within the Soil Science Society of America and the International Union of Soil Sciences, this book uniquely illustrates the significance of soils to our society. It is planned for soils students, for various scientific disciplines, and for members of the public who show an increasing interest in soil. This book allows us to answer the questions: “How do we know what we know about soils?” and “How did one step or idea lead to the next one?”The chapters are written by an international group of authors, each with special interests, bound together by the central theme of soils and how we came to our present understanding of soils. Each concentrate on soil knowledge in the western world and draw primarily on written accounts available in English and European languages. Academics, graduate students, researchers and practitioners will gain new insights from these studies of how ideas in soil science and understanding of uses of soils developed.
623435-28b.gifVolume B covers the ecological significance of the interactions among clay minerals, organic matter and soil biota. Soil is a dynamic system in which soil minerals constantly interact with organic matter and microorganisms. Close association among abiotic and biotic entities governs several chemical and biogeochemical processes and affects bioavailability, speciation, toxicity, transformations and transport of xenobiotics and organics in soil environments. This book elaborates critical research and an integrated view on basic aspects of mineral weathering reactions; formation and surface reactivity of soil minerals with respect to nutrients and environmental pollutants; dynamics and transformation of metals, metalloids, and natural and anthropogenic organics; effects of soil colloids on microorganisms and immobilization and activity of enzymes, and metabolic processes, growth and ecology of microbes. It offers up-to-date information on the impact of such a processes on soil development, agricultural production, environmental protection, and ecosystem integrity.
Written by international authorities in agronomy, Volume 63 contains five comprehensive reviews covering key contemporary topics on crop and soil sciences. As always, the topics are varied and exemplary of the array of subject matter covered by this long-running serial. With this latest volume, Advances in Agronomy continues to be recognized as a leading reference and as a first-rate source of the latest research in agronomy, crop science, and soil science.